Snakes & Roses
by Vampira1989
Summary: This is the story of Tom Riddle & how he became Voldemort & how he fell for an unusual yet captivating young Muggleborn girl named Eira. (this is the story that comes before my other HP fanfic "A Great Riddle")
1. Chapter 1: The New Girl

Snakes and Roses

Chapter 1: The New Girl

'Look at all the filthy Mudbloods,' thought Tom Riddle in disdain, although he kept an expressionless face. Out of all of the incoming first years, hardly any of them were Pureblood witches and wizards. They seemed smaller and more frightened than the first years from earlier years. He watched with the other students to see where they would be sorted and cheered along with his fellow Slytherins when one of the first years had been sorted into his house (this was for the sake of appearance and to avoid suspicion), yet remained silent when a first year was sorted to another house rather than booing with the rest.

"Schlosser, Eira," Professor Dumbledore called out. Tom fought the urge to sneer. Although Albus Dumbledore was favored by nearly everyone, he hated the man with a passion. Dumbledore was a kind wizard but he seemed to always know when Tom was up to something.

Dumbledore looked down at the young first year girl and smiled, his gold hat and robes pleasantly accenting his long auburn hair and beard. The girl was on the taller side compared to her classmates with long dark brown hair. She sat on the stool, waiting for the Sorting Hat to be placed on her head.

'She looks more like a Muggle than a witch.' Tom noted the girl's pleated gray wool skirt, white tights, black Mary Jane shoes, and pink sweater that were visible beneath her long black robes that dragged the ground, practically swallowing her. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head and it sank down to her nose.

"She's probably going to be a Hufflepuff," jeered Oliver Craven, a fourth year, to his friends that happened to be sitting beside Tom.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat boomed so that the entire Great Hall could hear. Whispers began immediately. Even Tom could not suppress the feeling of surprise when the Hat was removed from the girl's head and she skipped merrily to the Slytherin table. Tom followed the girl with his eyes as she sat down with the other first years at the Slytherin table on the opposite end from him. This made it impossible for him to hear anything she was saying, however she seemed very pleased with her decision.

'Stop getting fixated upon a first year,' Tom chided himself. 'It's her first day in a Magical World, which is probably the most amount of magic she has seen in her entire life judging by her Muggle attire. She may be more than she seems.'

Tom did not join in the Slytherin House festivities as many of the other students had. Being a Prefect, he did not see it as proper to indulge himself nor did he find it very pleasurable. He also did not wish to bring attention to himself. He did, however, watch the party from the balcony overlooking the Common Room from the wing his bed chamber was located. The students drank butter beer that someone had brought and pulled crackers, releasing streamers and confetti, along with ridiculous-looking hats. They played music from the wizard radio that another student, a third year whose name Tom could not recall, had brought and danced, cheered, and chanted. Some stood in groups chatting away, laughing and joking. Among them was the young Schlosser girl. She continued to wear her hat and robes even though nearly everyone had already changed. She seemed happier and bubblier than anyone else in the entire Slytherin House, resembling a weak Hufflepuff more than a clever Slytherin.

The Schlosser girl must have sensed that someone was staring at her because she looked up. When she caught sight of him she grinned and waved. Tom smirked and gave a small wave to be polite and to play the part of the "responsible and mature Prefect."

"Watching the Schlosser girl?" Tom turned to face a third year boy, Alabaster Smeath, his golden blond hair on the longer side and his cool, blue eyes watching the girl closely.

"What interest is it of yours?" Tom asked him.

"She's a filthy little Mudblood," Smeath sneered. "The girl is practically bragging about having Muggles for parents! She is also very chipper and far too friendly to be in this House."

"She was sorted into this House, so there must be a reason why she is here," Tom replied before entering his bed chamber.

When the party had ended and the four other boys who shared his room went to bed, Tom laid in his bed, thinking about the Schlosser girl. He disliked the girl for being so proud of her Muggle heritage; however he could not bring himself to hate her just yet.

Tom had watched the Schlosser girl for two weeks now and had come to the same conclusion as so many other Hogwarts students: she did not belong in Slytherin. She was perky, loving, kind, and seemed unable to say a bad word about anyone. She was clumsy and forgetful, she was often caught daydreaming, and she did not seem clever like the other Slytherins. Her personality resembled that of a common Hufflepuff more and more each day, making everyone wonder why she had been sorted into Slytherin.

Tom had learned her schedule and followed her when he had free periods, studying her, trying to find the tiniest inkling that would allow him to understand why she was in Slytherin. As he studied her, the more he loathed her. She did not deserve to be in Slytherin!

One night, he caught the young Miss Schlosser out after hours. She was leaving the girl's lavatory and she looked like she had been crying. Playing the part of the "kindly Prefect" he let her off with a warning and escorted her back to the dormitory. He never found her out of the dormitory after hours, although he still found her looking as if she had just been crying. This did not bother him. He assumed that she was being bullied by the other Slytherins for her absurd behavior.

He also observed that she did not have any friends in Slytherin. She was friends with a first year girl named Veda Swanson and a first year boy named Balthazar Finn from Gryffindor, a second year Hufflepuff girl named Jayden Paige, and a third year Ravenclaw by the name of Ulrick Schultz. She had Potions with Swanson and Finn, Herbology with Paige (she had advanced Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts; it was rumored that she would be taking Divination a year early because she supposedly had "the gift" of foresight and prophecy), and she knew Schultz from Quidditch (he was a Beater and she came to practices to watch and better understand the wizarding sport as he had overheard her telling her friends in the library one afternoon). She seemed to highly admire Schultz and he seemed to rather like the Schlosser girl. He dotted on her and taught her everything he knew of Quidditch. After a month, nearly the entire student-body believed that the two of them were dating. She seemed happier during this time and Tom no longer found her crying.

On a late October night, Tom was sitting in Slytherin's Common Room studying when he heard a gasp from the stairwell leading to the girl's dormitories. He looked up to see Schlosser, her hand over her heart, looking relieved. Apparently his presence had startled her. He noticed that she was dressed in a nightgown and was carrying a pillow and blanket under her arm.

"What are you doing out of bed, Miss Schlosser?" he asked her.

"I always come down here to sleep," she said softly, walking cautiously towards the armchair opposite him. "The Harris girl always snores so loudly and the Ellery girl sleepwalks. I come down here late at night when everyone is in bed to sleep peacefully."

"Do you not get along with the other girls?" Tom asked. She shook her head. "Well, if you always sleep here, don't let me stop you." The Schlosser girl walked over to the couch and carefully placed her pillow against one of the arms. She laid down and pulled the blanket neatly over her. Tom returned to his studies.

"My name is Eira Schlosser. What is your name? If you don't mind me asking."

"Tom Riddle," he answered, not looking up from his textbook.

"Why do you hate me, Tom Riddle?" Tom was truly startled by this question. He stared at her, trying not to look dumbfounded. The Schlosser girl, Eira, stared back with her innocent, dark brown eyes. She had asked him that question in all honesty! He played his part as a good, studious Prefect yet she saw right through him!

"What do you mean, Miss Schlosser?"

"Exactly what I asked you. You hate me. I know you do. Just like you can talk to snakes, I can read people's auras." Tom was having an even harder time than usual to hide his true feelings. "Your aura is very dark. Auras tell a person what everyone's true hearts are and they can even tell what makes them different or special compared to other people. For example, all of my friends have good, pure hearts, or as pure as they come anyway. You try to play the part of a 'good student' when your heart is full of so much evil.

"I have never seen anyone with such a dark aura!" Eira Schlosser continued, sounding excited and somehow sad at the same time, bolting up into a sitting positon. "It's as if you have never been loved nor have you ever felt love. Despite this, you don't seem to be miserable. Deep blues would be in your aura if you felt any misery, but your aura is blacks and grays; full of hate and anger." Tom stared at her in stunned silence as he regained his composure, keeping his face emotionless.

"You do realize that I can give you a detention for slander," Tom said calmly. Eira Schlosser smiled faintly at him.

"I really don't care if you hate me, especially seeing as to the fact that you hate everyone," she said just as calmly as him. "I just want to know why." Tom thought for a moment, debating on whether he should tell her or whether he should just keep quiet.

"You really want to know?" he asked finally. The young first year nodded. "As you have said, I seem to hate everyone. It is not necessarily that I hate everyone; I just do not care for anyone but myself. I do have things that I dislike or hate about people; however I do not take the time to decide whether I truly hate anyone. For example, I dislike the fact that you seem very proud to be Muggle-born and that you do not resemble a true Slytherin at all, yet you are in Slytherin House." The girl nodded solemnly, seeming to take everything in.

"I can't bring myself to hate people," she said quietly. "I do have things that I dislike about people, but I don't hate them for it." Eira looked up at him, smiling faintly. "I don't even hate you even though your aura turns darker when I am near you, reflecting your inner feelings of dislike for my attitude. I could never hate you for something like that.

"Goodnight, Mr. Riddle," she said suddenly, snuggling down farther into her blanket. "I will see you in the morning at breakfast." She gave him a pleasant smile, rolled over so that her back was facing him, and was sound asleep within fifteen minutes.

'Why did I tell her about my true feelings for everyone? I must have let my guard slip,'

thought Tom as he cleaned up his books and headed off to bed, feeling frustrated and angry with himself. 'Stupid girl.'

"Good morning, Mr. Riddle!" a young girl's voice said very loudly and brightly. Tom looked up and was slightly surprised to see Eira Schlosser standing in front of him. It was Saturday, so she was not wearing her robes. Her hair was in pigtails and she wore a black skirt and black tights, her usual Mary Jane's, and a green sweater, looking more like a Muggle than usual. Normally she ate at another table, but today she seemed to have decided on eating with him at the Slytherin table. Tom glanced around and noticed her friends at the Gryffindor table looking shocked and confused.

"Good morning," Tom said, playing his part as Prefect for the sake of the other students.

"May I eat with you?" He gazed up at Eira.

"Why? Wouldn't you rather eat with your friends?" Tom asked, returning to his food. "I do not expect to be very good company."

"I have the whole day to spend with them," Eira said nonchalantly, sitting down in front of him and piling her plate with buttered toast, scones, bacon, and eggs. "I want to talk to you." She filled her goblet with milk.

"About?" Tom inquired, already dreading allowing her to sit down.

"About you." Tom looked up at her for the second time that morning, confused.

"Me? Why would you want to know anything about me?" Eira swallowed the bit of toast she had been eating and took a sip of her milk.

"To try and understand you," she replied. "I want to know why your aura is so unique." Tom sighed, trying to cool his annoyance.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where did you grow up?" Tom was silent for a moment.

"In an orphanage," he said tonelessly. Eira seemed surprised.

"Did you ever know your parents?" Tom shook his head. "Was it a wizarding orphanage?"

"Muggle," Tom corrected. "I have lived there since I was a baby. My mother died and I was named after my father. That is all I know of my parents." Eira nodded, looking a bit sad.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen. I _am_ a fifth year." Eira smiled.

"Yes, but some people have already had their birthdays, so I was curious if yours was earlier in the year or later."

"What about you?" Tom wasn't actually interested; he was just trying to keep up his part as a respectable student. Eira sensed this and her faint smile broadened to a grin. "Where did you grow up?" Eira shrugged, still eating her breakfast.

"Everywhere. My parents work for a nature magazine, so they travel the world photographing and writing about animals, insects, plants; anything that has to do with nature. I also have a little sister, but she hasn't shown any signs of being a witch."

"Are you one of these students with a birthday early in the school year?"

"I am still eleven, but my birthday is in two weeks." Eira was silent for a moment as she finished her breakfast.

"When did you first learn that you were a wizard?" she asked.

"I knew that I had abilities that the other children did not have, however I did not learn as to what I was until Dumbledore came to tell me about Hogwarts," Tom answered carelessly.

"When did you first learn that you could talk to snakes?" (She asked this in a hushed voice so only he would hear.)

"I don't remember. I believe that I always could. What about you?" Eira seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before she finally spoke.

"I started realizing that I had magical powers when I was about nine, but I have always been able to see auras."

"I have never heard of anyone with this ability. I'm not even sure if it is real." Eira laughed.

"Do you want me to prove it to you?" Tom stared at her. There was so much determination in her dark eyes he couldn't bring himself to say no. He nodded. Eira grabbed his hand and closed her eyes tightly.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked.

"Shhh!" Eira hissed. "Close your eyes! When you open them, you will see what I see when I look at people." Tom, believing she was being foolish, decided to play along. He closed his eyes, ignoring the stares of the other students. After a few seconds he began to feel very warm and his eyes started to burn. Eira released his hand and he opened his eyes. He saw Eira, but she seemed different; more bright and colorful. There was a radiant array of colors shinning from her, forming a sort of outline of light.

"What do you see?" she asked.

"Colors and light coming from you." Eira giggled. He knew he must look ridiculous because he could not hide his astonishment. "Are the colors and light the aura?" Eira nodded.

"What colors do you see? I can tell you what they mean."

"Your aura is full of shades of yellow, there is some light blue and there is a bit of white."

"The yellow is happiness and joy, the light blue is calmness, and the white is peace." Tom gawked at her, feeling what he believed could possibly be respect for this young first year.

"Can you see your own aura when you look in a mirror?" Eira nodded, her smile disappearing.

"I don't know if you would want to see your aura." She took his hand again and within seconds the colorful "light" disappeared and his vision returned to normal.

"I also saw another color in your aura, but it was very small." Eira stared at him, confused. "It was black. A very dark black." Her eyes grew large and she seemed frightened. "What does that mean?" She was silent for a long time, avoiding his questioning gaze.

"It's the reason I am in Slytherin," Eira whispered. "It is a part of myself that I try to keep buried and hope to someday be rid of completely." She stood, said goodbye, and hurried over to the Gryffindor table to join her friends.

Chapter 5: Christmas Party

Tom stood near the door of Slughorn's office, waiting for Eira to arrive at the Slug Club Christmas Party. She had insisted that he go on ahead to the party once he was ready and that she would meet him there. He had already been at the party for thirty minutes. Slughorn had said hello to him and had introduced him to a few of his friends from outside of Hogwarts that had joined the party, but Tom hardly remembered any of that. He was so anxious for Eira to join him he could hardly stand still.

'What if everything this morning was a ruse?' Tom wondered, his worries beginning to take over his mind. 'What if the dress or shoes didn't fit? What if she decided not to forgive me after all?'

He nearly leaped out of his skin when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned and his breath caught in his throat. Eira stood before him in the clothes he had bought for her looking more beautiful than ever. She had two gold antique combs pushed into her long hair, one on each side, she wore a gold necklace with an emerald and matching earrings, black silk and leather shoes, and a green and gold Medieval ball gown made of velvet. She beamed at him.

"Do I look alright, Tom?" she asked. Tom smiled.

"Turn 'round so I can see all of you," he instructed. Eira slowly spun around. She looked like a porcelain doll! "You look beautiful." Eira's normally rosy cheeks reddened with a blush as she gave him a shy smile. Tom took her hand and led her into the room. People stopped and stared at Eira as she walked with Tom to the middle of the room where people were dancing. He listened to the music that was being played by the live mini orchestra and then led Eira in a waltz.

"I didn't know you could dance!" Eira said, looking astonished. Tom gave her a sly smile.

"I can do many things, Miss Schlosser." They danced a while more, than Eira asked to sit down for a bit. Tom left Eira in one of the armchairs that was against the wall opposite the buffet table to get some eggnog. As he was leaving the buffet table with two glasses full of eggnog he was stopped by Slughorn.

"Tom, my dear boy," he boomed, his face a bit red from the brandy he was drinking in a crystal glass that he held in his right hand. "I saw you with that young Schlosser girl. Did she not have a date either?"

"No, professor," Tom said quickly, trying not to let his impatience show. "Miss Schlosser is my date." Slughorn stared at him for a moment as he processed this information. He laughed heartily and slapped Tom hard on the back, causing Tom to spill some of the eggnog that was in the glasses.

"You finally found someone you liked well enough to take to one of my parties!" he cried joyfully. "Well done! She's quite pretty and not too bad with magic either." Tom nodded and said a quick thanks before hurrying away from the tipsy professor to rejoin Eira. Eira was giggling when Tom handed her one of the glasses of eggnog.

"Sorry it took so long," he muttered, sitting in the empty chair beside her.

"It's alright," Eira assured him, taking a sip of her eggnog. "I rather enjoyed it."


	2. Chapter 2: Birthday Party

Chapter 2: Birthday Party

Ever since he had spoken to Eira at breakfast that Saturday morning, Tom couldn't seem to stop thinking about Eira's reaction to the darkness in her aura.

'I must get to know this girl,' he thought decidedly. 'She will not tell me because she does not trust me. I will make her trust me. I will make her tell me what it is that she is so afraid of. I have to know why she was made a Slytherin.'

Tom followed Eira, as he had so many times before, but rather than staying in the shadows he would approach her. He also, grudgingly, spoke with her friends. They mostly asked him questions about his studies and about their own classes, what to expect on exams, what classes were best to take later in years that would go towards their ideal jobs, but they also talked about Quidditch a lot. Tom learned more about the sport in one hour-long sitting with them than he had in his four years at Hogwarts! The entire time he could always feel Eira's eyes staring at him, burning holes into his very soul. He knew that she was suspicious of him, but she played along with his little charade.

"You should come to Eira's birthday party," Ulrick Schultz announced one Thursday afternoon when Eira, their friends Finn, Paige, and Swanson, and Tom were studying in the library. Tom smiled pleasantly, not because he was invited to Eira Schlosser's party, but because he had gained the trust of her friends. Eira stared incredulously at Shultz.

"I would be honored," Tom told them in a humble voice. Eira gave him a dirty look but her friends didn't seem to notice.

"You can escort us back to our dormitories if we are out too late," Jayden Paige said excitedly. "Because you're a Prefect, we can't get in trouble."

"When and where is this party to be held?" Tom asked.

"Well, we were going to use the Room of Requirement," Balthazar Finn explained. "That way everything will be provided for us and all we have to do is bring the presents, but we're afraid that we would have a greater chance of being caught out of the dormitories after hours, so we decided to hold the party in the Gryffindor Common Room. This way if anyone is too tired to go to their dormitory, they can sleep on the sofas and chairs." Tom grinned, making it seem pleasant, but inside he was excited that his plan was working so well. He would not only have access to the Gryffindor Common Room, but would also know where to find it if the time came for such knowledge to be of use to him.

Eira seemed to have caught on because she said rather loudly, "I think we should stick with the original plan and have the party in the Room of Requirement. That way other Gryffindors won't try to crash the party."

"That seems fair," Veda Swanson agreed, her brunette pigtails bobbing as she nodded. "After all, it is your party."

"It's settled then," Schultz said firmly. "Tom is invited to the party and it will be held in the Room of Requirement say…eight o'clock on Saturday?" Everyone nodded their agreement.

When the six of them were preparing to leave the library, Eira grabbed Tom's arm and pulled him aside.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she hissed angrily, her dark eyes flashing dangerously. "I know you're up to something!" Tom gave her a sly smile.

"Whatever do you mean, Miss Schlosser?" he said calmly. "I was invited to your party by your friends. It is only natural that they would think of inviting me after I have been spending so much time with all of you."

"Don't give me that crap! I know you're plotting something and I am going to figure it out!" He watched as the young Muggle-born marched off, heading to her next class.

Tom looked about Hogsmeade, trying to decide on a decent present for Eira Schlosser. It would seem suspicious if he showed up at her party without a present. He knew that she liked candy and chocolate, so he decided to buy her something from Honeydukes. He entered the candy shop and was nearly overwhelmed by the sugary scent. He was not a fan of sweets, so this was new for him. Tom looked around, trying to find something he knew she liked.

"What're you doing here?" Tom turned around to see Alabaster Smeath. The third year sneered at Tom when he saw the box of chocolate frogs in his left hand.

"You're getting a present for that Mudblood?" Smeath scoffed. Tom, though he was fighting the urge to take out his wand and cast a spell, smiled.

"What business is it of yours if I buy candy for another?" Tom asked calmly. Smeath narrowed his eyes in suspicion, resembling a rat.

"You've been hanging around her and her friends a lot." Tom nodded, growing impatient. The sweet smell of the shop was making him feel nauseous. "You aren't thinking of being friends with her, are you?"

"What if I am?" he asked the younger boy. Smeath's glare faltered at the undertone of a threat in Tom's voice.

"She's a Mudblood!" Smeath now seemed to be desperate to know why Tom was trying to get closer to Eira. Tom felt his temper flaring, but he kept his cool.

"She may be Muggle born, but she is no fool." Tom grabbed another box of chocolate frogs and some Bertty Botts Every Flavor Beans, paid for them and left the shop, feeling very angry and confused.

'Why did I defend her?' Tom thought as he hurried through the path to the Three Broomsticks. 'She is a Mudblood, but I hated hearing him call her that. Why? It's not like I am really friends with her…And how did Smeath know I was buying candy for her and not someone else?'

At ten 'til eight, Tom stood outside the Room of Requirement with Finn, Paige, and Swanson, waiting for Schultz and Eira to arrive, holding the present he had brought for Eira. A door had appeared and Finn was waving them in through the door. Tom was amazed by the size of the room.

It was large, but not too large, the walls were stone, as well as the ceiling and floor, but rugs of green and gold with elegant embroidery were laid out on the floor. A very long table was against the left wall, piled high with food, some he knew well and others he had never seen before, along with a large bowl of green punch. Tapestries with fairies and dragons embroidered on them hung on the walls and a large banner floated in the center of the room that said "Happy 12th Birthday Eira!" in green letters. Balloons and streamers were all about the room in all the colors of a rainbow and then some.

A smaller round table was in the corner against the right wall where Swanson and Paige were stacking presents and a record player was on an even smaller table with a box full of records on the floor was against the wall about ten feet from the table of presents. Chinese paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room and couches and armchairs were facing the back wall where there was a large white marble and green jade fireplace with a roaring fire in its hearth.

"I believe her favorite color is green," Paige joked, taking Tom's present to put on the table with the others. Swanson giggled and ran to turn on the record player.

Tom, like the others, was not wearing his robes, however he wore his Prefect badge pinned to his gray sweater, his black slacks were clean, and he wore his usual black shoes. Paige wore a pink dress and had left her blond hair down, looking rather cute and Swanson's hair was in a ponytail and she wore a blue sweater over a white blouse, men's gray trousers, and brown boots, looking very relaxed. Finn, who was waiting at the door for Schultz and Eira, wore a red turtle neck and black pants and shoes, his short curly red hair looking less unruly than usual.

"Here they come!" Finn hissed, sending Paige and Swanson into a frenzy as they put on an upbeat record to be played from the record player and finished assembling the presents. Paige and Swanson took one of each of Tom's arms in theirs and hurried to the center of the room beneath the banner. Finn opened the door wide as Schultz walked in, leading Eira who was blindfolded.

Tom couldn't help but gawk at her. Her long, dark hair was pushed back from her face by a green headband. She wore a green corduroy jumper over a white long sleeved blouse, a red satin ribbon was tied in a bow, similar to a bow tie, under the collar of the blouse, and she wore white tights and black Mary Jane shoes, looking very, _very_ cute; possibly even adorable.

"Can I look yet?" Eira asked impatiently, but the excitement could not be concealed from her voice.

"Yeah," said Schultz, untying her blindfold as Finn shut the door. As soon as the blindfold was removed, a large grin spread across Eira's face.

"Happy birthday!" her friends cried, clapping and cheering. Eira laughed and hugged Paige and Swanson.

"Thank you!" Tom stood off to the side and watched as Eira danced with Paige and Swanson, soon joined by Schultz and Finn. Schultz grabbed Eira about the waist from behind, picking her up off the ground slightly and spun around, Eira laughing the whole time. The two of them looked like opposites; Eira looking as cute as a doll and Schultz, his dark blond hair slicked back and hidden under his hat, wearing a suit that made him look like a gangster in a Muggle movie from the United States. When Schultz put her down, Eira caught sight of Tom in the corner, watching them. She skipped over to him and grabbed his hands.

"Dance with me!" she commanded excitedly. Tom could not suppress the small smile that came to his lips when she led him over to the record player where her friends were dancing. She was shorter than him, the top of her head stopping below his shoulders, but she didn't seem to mind. She led him in various dances he had never seen, smiling the whole time.

The party went well and Tom was even having fun. Her friends were very kind and made jokes that even he could chuckle at. They were now sitting on the cushions that had appeared when they walked over to the table of presents. Eira opened her presents and hugged each person they were from. She got a quill and ink set from Finn, a journal from Swanson, a book about Quidditch from Schultz, and some hair ribbons from Paige. When she opened Tom's present Eira squealed and hugged him very tightly, catching him off guard.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou!" she exclaimed. "These are my favorite! How'd you know?" Eira was no longer hugging him, but was looking him directly in the face. She was practically sitting in his lap, but he (oddly enough) did not feel uncomfortable.

"I just assumed that you would like them," Tom answered. Eira hugged him again.

"Awe, thank you," she cooed. "It must have been hell for you to get them for me. You don't really like sweet stuff."

After the presents, they ate food, which Eira explained was her favorite foods she had eaten in the various countries she had visited over the years (sushi from Japan, dumplings from China, hot dogs and cheese burgers from America, rice and curry from Thailand, éclairs and cream puffs from France, etc.). Then Finn brought out Eira's birthday cake. It was a two layer cake with a Halloween theme to it and everything was animated: the haunted house with ghosts moaning and flying from the windows, zombies coming up out of the graves, vampires walking about after leaving their coffins. Eira laughed and clapped her hands as she watched the little figures of sugar dance about and sing "happy birthday." She closed her eyes for a moment then blew out the candles and served everyone a piece of cake (even Tom ate a small piece). After cake, the six of them were now drinking punch by the fire.

"It's getting late," said Schultz, looking up at the clock that was on the mantle of the fireplace. "It's nearly after hours. We'd better get back before we get caught." Eira waved goodbye as her friends left, giving each of them a big hug. She closed the door behind her and turned to Tom, who was still sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Did you have fun?" she asked as she walked back to the fireplace, sitting beside him.

"I did," Tom answered, knowing he could not lie to her. Eira smiled and hugged him, her head resting on his chest. Tom felt his stomach give a jolt.

"I'm glad." He placed a hand on her back, not sure of what to do. She looked up at him, her dark brown eyes shining with excitement. "Did you really buy the candy for me?" Tom nodded. She hugged him tighter. "Thank you. And thank you for coming to my party. I'm sorry I was cross with you before. I thought you had been plotting something against me." Tom, for the first time in his life, felt a sick, heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if he had eaten a rock: the feeling of guilt.

"You're welcome." He stroked her hair, which was soft and wavy, flowing like water to her waist.

"Tom?" He looked down at her. Eira straightened up and kissed him on the cheek. Tom felt himself growing warm and looked away from her. Eira giggled and hugged him again, her head resting on his chest once more. "I made you blush," she teased.

Tom stared into the fire, stroking her hair until she had fallen asleep. A large bed had appeared in place of the buffet table, so he picked her up carefully, not wanting to wake her, and carried her to the bed (she was surprisingly light). He pulled back the covers, pulled off her shoes, and tucked her in before returning to the couch.

'What is wrong with me?' he thought, feeling frustrated, angry, and confused with himself. 'Why am I being so nice to her? Why did I blush when she kissed me?' He was even angrier with himself when he felt his face growing warm at the memory of it. 'She is Muggle-born! A Mudblood! I cannot come to like her! It is against everything I am!' Tom looked over his shoulder at the girl in the bed, sleeping soundly. He felt the same jolt in his stomach from when Eira had hugged him. 'What the hell is wrong with me?! Why do I feel like this?! All I want to know is why she is in Slytherin! I don't need to be friends with her! I just need to know why she is in my House!'


	3. Chapter 3: Quidditch Match

Chapter 3: Quidditch Match

It was November and Eira had invited Tom to accompany her to the Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. He knew that she would be cheering for Schultz the whole time, which made him feel agitated, but he had no idea why.

Over the past few weeks since Eira's birthday he had been included in a lot more of the activities with her friends. Although he still planned on finding out what Eira's flaw was that had landed her in Slytherin, she never seemed to catch on to this. Tom assumed that she had either learned to "turn off" her aura-seeing powers or he had somehow managed to keep his true intentions hidden.

'Maybe there is still too much darkness in my aura for her to notice,' he thought as he left his Transfiguration class, heading to his dormitory. It was Friday, so the match would be the following day after breakfast. Tom had decided to get as much of his studying out of the way before going to the Slug Club meeting that night. He had been given homework from all of his professors accept Slughorn, who wanted to make sure everyone in the Slug Club could attend.

Tom appreciated being one of Slughorn's favorite students and he did somewhat enjoy the parties Slughorn held. He never brought dates to any of Slughorn's parties though because he did not care for any of the girls in Hogwarts. Slughorn had always asked him why he never had a date and Tom would always answer, "There isn't anyone I am interested in and I have no female friends to ask to accompany me." Slughorn would always chuckle and introduce him to people he had invited from outside of Hogwarts.

As soon as he had finished his homework he left the Slytherin dormitory for professor Slughorn's office. Tom knocked on the door and waited for Slughorn to answer. To his great surprise, Eira answered. She was dressed very sweetly, a red hair ribbon from the set Paige had given her was in her dark hair, and she wore a red dress with a black bow at the waist, and her usual white tights and black Mary Jane's. Eira smiled at him, making her cheeks a rosy pink.

"Hi Tom," she greeted. Tom felt his stomach do a somersault. Normally, he hated when people called him Tom because it was such a common name, but when she said his name it sounded unique. This was also the first time she had actually called him "Tom" rather than "Mr. Riddle."

"Hello," he said finally, trying to sound normal. "What are you doing here, Miss Schlosser?" Eira giggled and held the door open so he could walk in.

"I'm in the Slug Club now," she explained. "I lost my temper with that fourth year, Craven. He called me a Mudblood, so I hexed him. Professor Slughorn saw it, and I thought I was going to be in a lot of trouble, but he was so impressed by how well I had performed the hex (and because it was such a complicated hex for a first year to perform) that he invited me to be a part of the club.

"Can you believe it?" Eira was very excited now. "I am the only first year to ever be a part of the Slug Club!" Tom couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"Tom!" boomed a hearty voice from the corner of the room. Tom looked up to see Slughorn. Slughorn clapped him on the back and directed him into the extension of his office for his parties. The various fourth, fifth, and sixth years sat around the oblong table, chatting amongst themselves. Eira stood beside him, looking both excited and nervous. She grabbed his hand, sending a warm tingling feeling throughout his entire body from his head to his toes. He squeezed her hand gently and led her to some empty chairs at the end of the table right next to Slughorn (Slughorn had insisted that Eira sit beside him).

As they ate high class dishes of food and desserts, drinking water and Butter Beer, Slughorn asked Eira dozens of questions about herself, her family, how growing up abroad in the Muggle world had affected her; he wanted to know absolutely everything he could about the young Muggle-born. Tom tried to listen, but he was too busy trying to figure out his feelings.

'Why did I feel so happy to hear her call me "Tom" and why did I feel that tingling sensation when she grabbed my hand?' he thought in aggravation. 'What is happening to me?!'

At the end of the meeting, Eira stayed behind to talk with Slughorn some more. Tom had stayed behind as well, wanting to walk Eira back to the dormitory, especially if Slughorn kept them out after hours.

"Now, your parents' names were Natalie and Henry?" Slughorn asked Eira. Eira giggled and shook her head.

"Nadia and Hector," she corrected. "My sister's name is Gersemi; I call her 'Semi'."

"And how old is your sister again?"

"She is six." Slughorn nodded.

"You seem to have lived a fascinating life, even for a witch."

"Thank you."

"Now, you said you have a unique power?" Tom felt his stomach grow cold.

"Yes." Eira did not seem worried in the least. "I can see people's auras. I was wondering if other witches or wizards have been known to have this power. Tom said that he had never heard of a witch or wizard having this power." Slughorn seemed very excited at this news.

"_I_ have never heard of such a thing!" he cried enthusiastically. "How does it work?"

"I look at someone and I see colored light radiating from them," Eira explained. "The light is different colors and it tells me special abilities a person has, strengths and weaknesses, and their feelings. I can show you if you'd like." Slughorn seemed so enthralled he could hardly sit still. Eira took his hand, just as she had done for Tom only a month before, and had him close his eyes. Tom watched Eira intently. She stared hard at Slughorn. A white glow was emitting from her body and traveling to her hand that was clasped in Slughorn's, looking tiny and delicate. The white glow spread from Eira to Slughorn in a matter of seconds. The glow disappeared as soon as she let go of the professor's hand. Slughorn opened his eyes and stared, his mouth agape, at Eira.

"Merlin's beard," he said breathlessly. "This is exquisite!" Eira explained the colors he named before taking his hand again, removing Slughorn's brief moment of viewing auras.

"How long have you had this power?" Slughorn demanded. Eira shrugged. "Does anyone in your family happen to have this power?" She shook her head. "It is extraordinary! Can you see your own aura?" Eira nodded.

"Only when I look in a mirror, but I have to be feeling strong emotions of something," she admitted. "If I just look at my hands or some other part of me, I can't see it."

"Amazing," Slughorn muttered under his breath.

"Sir?" Tom said, speaking up for the first time all night. This caused Slughorn to jump.

"My dear boy, I forgot you were standing there, Tom," said Slughorn, a hand over his heart as he seemed to be calming his nerves. "Forgive me; is it after hours already?"

"Yes, sir," Tom answered. "I believe Miss Schlosser and I should be getting back to our dormitory."

"Yes, I believe you are right. Goodnight you two and get back safely. If you are stopped by any professors, tell them you came from my little party and you shouldn't have any trouble." He shook hands with Tom and Eira and saw them to the door. Once they were a ways away from Slughorn's office, Tom grabbed Eira by the shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Why did you show him your power?" he demanded, feeling anger coursing through him as he spoke, fighting the urge to shake her.

"What do you mean?" Eira asked, looking frightened. Tom's anger lessened, but he was still keeping a firm grip on her shoulders.

"Why did you show him your power?" he repeated.

"I knew he could be trusted."

"Because his aura said so?" Eira narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Why are you so angry? It's not like I told him _your_ power!" He could tell she was upset. Her face was turning red and tears were welling in her dark eyes. Tom sighed, loosening his grip on her shoulders.

"I am just not sure that you should make a gift like yours known. There are people who would use it to their advantage."

"Is that what you want to do?" Tom was surprised by the venom in her voice. Her face was no longer red and there were no more tears in her eyes. They didn't even look like her eyes. She was different, but he couldn't explain what it was. Her eyes were so dark; so full of hate.

"Eira?" he asked softly. Eira shook her head vigorously and gasped, rubbing her eyes. The little first year looked up at him, looking normal, but her eyes were terrified.

"What did I do?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. Tom gave her a quizzical look.

"Nothing," he answered. Tears rolled down Eira's cheeks and she lowered her head, collapsing on her knees on the floor.

"I'm sorry," she said, crying softly. "I'm so sorry." Tom knelt down so he was on the same level as her. He placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. Tom, feeling that it was the appropriate thing to do, held her tightly, stroking her hair. He spoke softly to her, trying to calm her down. He was still unsure of what had happened and why she was so upset, but he was, secretly, enjoying the fact that he was getting to hold her.

After a while Eira had stopped crying and stood up (with Tom's help), dusting off her tights and dress. She took his hand, smiling sheepishly, her eyes red and puffy from how hard she had been crying, and the two of them started walking back to the dormitory in silence.

It was the morning of Schultz's match. Tom was eating with Eira, who chatted excitedly about seeing Schultz's first Quidditch match of the year. He felt annoyed that she was talking about Quidditch after what had happened last night. She had promised him before going to bed that she would explain to him why she had been so upset, but so far she had not said a word about it. Eira, along with her friends, didn't seem to notice his attitude being less than supportive.

"Good luck today, Ulrick!" Veda Swanson called after Schultz had finished eating. Schultz grinned at her before turning his attention to Eira.

"Hey, Eira?" Eira looked up from her plate and directed her attention at Ulrick Schultz. "Meet me after the match by the Grounds Keeper's place, okay?" Eira nodded. Tom couldn't help feeling suspicious of Schultz's true intentions.

"Oooh!" crooned Jayden Paige, her green eyes glinting with excitement. "I bet he's going to ask you to be his girl!"

"That's ridiculous," said Eira, brushing it aside. "Ulrick and I are just friends. You know that."

"The two of you sure do flirt a lot," Balthazar Finn commented before shoveling a spoon full of scrambled eggs into his mouth. Eira looked flabbergasted.

"We do not flirt! We play around! We're like brother and sister!"

"That's a load of crap!" Finn turned to Tom. "You think that what they're doing is flirting too, right?" Tom tried to keep his true feelings hidden.

"I do believe that what he is doing is flirting," Tom admitted, avoiding Eira's gaze. "You may just be playing with him, and that may have been how things started out with him in the beginning, but I believe that his intentions are as Miss Paige described." He knew Eira would be mad at him for agreeing with her friends, but she would not argue.

After breakfast, the five of them headed for the stands. They sat in the Ravenclaw section, but close to the Gryffindors as well so Finn and Swanson could cheer for both teams without feeling ashamed. Tom sat between Paige and Eira, watching the Quidditch players flying about on their broomsticks. Tom had to admit that Schultz was good and he could understand why Eira admired him so much, yet it still angered him, for what reasons he did not know.

He did not notice much of the game, only cheering when others around him did so (he never actually cheered; he just stood up and/or clapped). At the end of the match, Eira excused herself and headed out of the stands and towards the Grounds Keeper's place. Tom made sure she was a far enough distance in front of him for him to follow without her noticing.

Schultz arrived at his meeting place with Eira a few minutes after she had. Tom was hiding on the other side of the hut. He could see everything without them seeing him, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. He hated the fact that they were whispering. Schultz was looking very uneasy, shifting his weight from foot to foot, not making direct eye contact with Eira while Eira stared right at him, and seemed to be listening intently. A grin spread across the first year's face and she threw her arms around the third year, kissing him on the cheek. Tom had never felt so angry in his entire life from as far back as he could remember! How dare that boy ask her on a date! How dare she agree to it! She was too young for such things and they should both know better!

Eira had not seemed to notice Tom's presence and had taken Schultz by the hand, Schultz looking more confident, and the two of them walked back towards the castle. Tom had to fight the urge to chase after them and to take out his wand and curse the third year Quidditch Player. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm his temper. Even though he no longer felt the urge to kill the boy, he still couldn't help but feel angry. What was wrong with him? Why was he so mad about the obvious possibility that Schultz asked Eira on a date? Why should he care what happened between them? Why should he even care about a Mudblood like Eira, even if she did have a unique power? Why was he so livid with anger? Why was he so…jealous?


	4. Chapter 4: Eira's Secret (Sort of)

Chapter 4: Eira's Secret (Sort of…)

Tom sat on the sofa facing the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, pretending to do his homework (he was still fuming about Eira and Schultz), waiting for the room to empty, leaving him and Eira alone (she was sitting in the armchair beside him, actually doing her homework). He was waiting for the room to clear so he could ask her about her episode yesterday and maybe even about her conversation with Schultz. It was after ten before the room was empty except for him and the Mudblood. Eira set her homework aside and turned to face him, seeming nervous. Tom assumed that she could see in his aura that he was truly angry with her.

"Well?" he drawled, trying to suppress a sneer. "Aren't you going to tell me about what happened last night?" Eira shifted uncomfortably in the armchair, avoiding his gaze.

"It's…complicated," she said softly. "But I'll try." Eira took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I have a power: a very dark and possibly evil power that I keep locked deep within me. This power is very dangerous; maybe even deadly. All I know is that I did something very bad when I was little that frightened my parents. They're memories of the event were erased and the Ministry of Magic has kept a close watch on me ever since. I don't remember what I did. I was too little to remember I suppose, or I was traumatized by it and suppressed the memory. I do know that another part of me, a separate personality, has control of this power. This personality has control of all of my negative emotions, it feeds on my anger and my fears, so I avoid thinking about anything that scares me and I do my best not to get too angry."

Tom waited a moment to see if Eira was going to explain more, but she didn't.

"That's it?" he snarled. "That didn't really explain anything!" Eira stared at him in disbelief.

"What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "Why are you so angry? That's what you wanted all along, isn't it? To know why I'm in Slytherin? Well, now you have it. I'm sorry if it's not to your liking. I certainly don't like it. I'd get rid of it for good if I knew how!"

"I was expecting you to be able to explain everything, but obviously I was a fool to believe that!"

"Tom! Why are you so angry?" Eira looked worried and seemed to be fighting back fear.

"What were you talking about with Schultz?!" Tom heard himself shout. The first year stared at him blankly.

"Huh?"

"You heard me! What the hell were you and that boy talking about?! I saw you two by the Grounds Keeper's place! You kissed his cheek and you walked back to the castle holding hands!"

"You spied on us?!"

"Of course I did!" He could feel his rage growing at her failure to comply.

"Why were you spying? We just talked!" Eira looked as if she was trying her damndest to keep from losing her temper too much. She was clenching her fists at her sides so tightly her knuckles were white!

"Don't give me that bull shit! He asked you to be his girl, didn't he?!" Tom knew how ridiculous he sounded, but he couldn't help himself. Everything he'd been thinking just came pouring out of his mouth and he couldn't stop himself from making it known.

"No. He didn't," Eira said tonelessly, narrowing her dark eyes at him. "And even if he had, why should you care? You hate Mudbloods like me anyway. Besides, Ulrick is really nice." Tom's rage had reached the point where words were so jumbled he couldn't think of what to say without sounding like an idiot. Instead of yelling at her some more, he grabbed his homework and marched upstairs to his room, making sure to slam the door hard behind him, not caring if he woke anyone up. Somehow, hearing Eira call herself a "Mudblood" cut through him deeper than any knife could. He had used that term to describe her when he was angry and it must have been written all over his aura for her to have said it. Tom felt like an ass and would have gladly let someone beat him senseless or hex him at that moment. He had just told the girl he cared for so deeply, without using words, the biggest insult anyone could give a Muggle-born…and Tom hated himself for it.

For the next few weeks Eira avoided Tom as much as she possibly could. She never ate with him, she refused to speak to him, she wouldn't sit near him in the common room or library, and she would not even look at him. Her friends had tried to talk to Tom about what had happened between him and Eira, but he never bothered to explain. He knew that he deserved every bit of Eira's grudge.

It was on a Saturday in the first week of December when Ulrick Schultz interrupted Tom's sulking at breakfast by sitting across from him. This was highly unusual for Schultz since he never came to the Slytherin table alone and had never tried to talk to Tom on his own like Eira's other friends. Schultz seemed somewhat uncomfortable by the stares he was getting from nearly the entire Hogwarts student body and the glares he was receiving from the Slytherins as they sneered at his Ravenclaw robes.

"I know that you and Eira had a fight about me," Schultz said quietly so only Tom could hear. Tom raised his eyes from his plate just enough to see the third year's face. He looked very solemn and still uneasy. "I saw you at the Grounds Keeper's house. Eira was at an angle so she couldn't see, but I saw you clearly. I knew you were too far away to hear, so I didn't mention anything to Eira." Tom raised his head now so he could look the boy directly in the face. Schultz took a deep breath and let it out slowly, seeming to be gathering courage to continue speaking. Tom assumed that he must look like he wanted to kill the boy for Schultz to be so nervous.

"I only wanted to tell Eira this, but it seems that I will have to tell you as well so you will not be so mad at Eira," Schultz said quietly, failing to hide the nervousness in his voice. "You see, I was nearly one hundred percent sure that Eira would accept me no matter what, but I was not sure about any of our other friends…" Schultz took in a shaky breath before continuing. "I know you like Eira a lot, but I just want you to know that I did not ask her to date me. I love her like a sister. I could never think of her…or any girl for that matter…romantically." Schultz took in a few more slow, shaky breaths, seeming very nervous now. "I…I like…men." The last word was so quiet Tom was not sure he had heard the third year correctly. The Ravenclaw's face was flushed such a deep red it was bordering purple.

"You like men?" Tom repeated quietly. Schultz nodded, avoiding Tom's gaze.

"Please don't tell anyone else," Schultz hissed. "I don't want them to know. I'll tell Veda, Balthazar, and Jayden (it took Tom a moment to realize that he was referring to Swanson, Finn, and Paige) when I'm ready." Schultz stood and left the Great Hall in what looked like an attempt to seem cool, calm, and collected; at least that's how Tom read his walk.

Tom felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Eira was not seeing anyone! He had never felt more relieved in his entire life! He looked over at Eira, who had her back to him and his relief vanished as quickly as it had come and was replaced with guilt. He hadn't trusted her and had picked a fight with her like a child.

'I have to figure out a way to apologize,' Tom decided. 'I just have to figure out how.'

Over the following week, Tom spent his free time (when he wasn't doing homework or Prefect duties) plotting the right way to apologize to Eira Schlosser. He did not want to just give her candy or something else completely clichéd. He asked Eira's friends about her, trying to learn more about her so he could make the perfect apology so she would, hopefully, not be mad at him anymore. All of them confirmed that she enjoyed reading books and writing her own stories, loved Quidditch and sweets, and that even though she had several favorite colors, green was her absolute favorite. He learned from Schultz that she had always wanted a pet raven and that her favorite flower was the rose, especially deep red roses, and Paige informed him that Eira had a large interest in the Medieval period of the Muggle world, especially with their clothes. After discussing his plan with her friends, it was decided that if this apology did not work, Eira would probably hate Tom until the end of her days.

It was Christmas Eve and Tom had already put his apology to Eira into action. First, he had given her a written apology. He knew that she would probably throw it away, but that was more of a decoy. Part two of the apology was to invite her to Slughorn's Christmas Party where he would be her escort (she was not visiting her family for the holidays because her family was somewhere in the rainforests of South America and were unable to make it to King's Cross station to pick her up). Tom knew she would probably throw this invitation away if it wasn't for the raven he had left her as a gift. He had been unable to suppress a grin when he watched her at breakfast the morning she had received his invitation. Eira had given him a dirty look but returned to reading the invitation. Her whole face had lit up when she realized that the raven was hers. The look she had given him then was less cold and she gave him a curt nod in thanks.

The third part of Tom's apology was the tricky bit. He had to go to the Headmaster for a special request to order a gift from the Muggle world. Of course, the Headmaster took care of everything and all Tom had to do was wait. What Professor Dippet did not seem to understand was that waiting was the hard part. He was relying entirely on this part of the apology and, despite his usual view of the Headmaster, had been desperate enough to trust the man.

Tom had been outside the Headmaster's office for over an hour, pacing the entire time.

'What if it didn't come in?' Tom wondered. 'What if what I ordered wasn't in stock? What if it doesn't work? What if Eira hates it? If she hates it, she'll hate me forever!' He suppressed the feelings of dread and fear at the thought of losing Eira for good. 'I can't lose her. I won't. I care about her too much to lose her now and I've gained too much of her trust to just let her go. I need to see that other side of her. I need to know what she did that was so horrible that the Ministry has to watch her carefully.'

He was startled when the door to the Headmaster's office opened and Professor Dippet handed Tom a parcel wrapped in brown paper and held together with string, along with a few boxes— one small and two that were even smaller— all tied shut with string, and a bouquet of deep red roses. The Headmaster had a smile on his face that Tom had never seen before.

"I hope this girl enjoys the presents you are giving her," he said kindly. "They were not cheap." Tom nodded and gave his thanks as he hurried to his dormitory.

This part of the apology was to take place the next morning. Somehow, Tom had to get the gifts into Eira's bedchamber. Thankfully he had found the entrance to the school's kitchen while wandering the halls his first year and was able to get a House Elf to place the boxes and parcel at the foot of Eira's bed, along with a final letter he had written for her.

Tom was awakened the next morning to the sound of someone pounding on his door. He groaned and slowly climbed out of bed, feeling rather groggy. He opened the door of the bedchamber and was tackled by a girl with long hair, nearly knocking him to the floor. It was Eira. She had a huge grin on her face, her cheeks almost red from how rosy they were, and her eyes showed no anger or disdain.

"Thank you, Tom!" she cried, pulling him into a tight hug. "I love your presents!" Tom smiled, feeling triumphant that his apology, thus far, had succeeded. "I have a present for you too." Tom allowed her to lead him from the bedchamber and into Slytherin's common room. She hurried over to the sofa and picked up a box wrapped in red paper and tied with a green ribbon. Eira handed the present to Tom, a sheepish smile on her face. It was heavier than he had expected.

"It's not much, but I do hope you like it." Tom carefully untied the ribbon and removed the paper. He stared, unsure of what to feel or how to express the different emotions he was feeling, at what had been concealed beneath the colored paper. It was a book called _The Beedle and the Bard_; a book full of wizarding fairy tales! He had been searching for this book for a few years now ever since he heard of a story called _The Deathly Hollows_.

"How did you find this?" he asked.

"I found it in a shop in Daigon Alley," Eira explained. "I went down Knockturn Alley first, but I couldn't find anything I could afford. So I went to the book store in Daigon Alley instead. I found it quite interesting and I know that you live in a Muggle orphanage, so I didn't think you'd ever read these. I had the money for it, so I decided to buy it for you. I hope you like it." Tom, before he even realized what he was doing, pulled the first year into a real hug, something he had never done before. This was the first present he had ever received and it was something that he knew he would enjoy. He could put the book to good use. When he pulled away, Eira was beaming and Tom could feel his face burning, well aware that he was blushing.

"I'm glad you like it. Would you like me to try on the presents you gave me?"

"No," Tom said firmly. "I'll see you in them tonight if you decide to go to the Slug Club Christmas Party." Eira's smile (if it was possible) grew even wider as she nodded vigorously.

"Will you eat breakfast with me, Tom?" Tom felt happier than he had been in days; maybe even his whole life.

"Yes. Yes I would."


End file.
